The Anger Workbook for Kids: Fun DBT Activities to Help You Deal with Big Feelings and Get Along with Others

by Christina Kress MSW, LICSW

Overview

Powerful and simple skills grounded in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help kids deal with anger and stay calm.

Kids often need extra help managing their emotions, and this is especially true when it comes to anger. Out-of-control anger and temper tantrums can interfere with making friends, learning in school, and all aspects of life. But there are tools your child can use to respond to anger in healthier ways. This workbook can help kids increase their awareness of anger and regulate it more effectively.

The Anger Workbook for Kids offers clinically proven, hands-on activities grounded in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help kids manage anger, regulate their emotions, handle conflict with peers, and express big feelings in healthier ways. Children will also gain a better understanding of how their anger impacts others, and what to do when anger has hurt friendships or other relationships.

This workbook will help kids:

• Identify anger triggers
• Understand and describe their feelings
• “Hit pause” when anger starts to take control
• Repair friendships damaged by anger
• Express their feelings

 

Anger is a natural emotion that even adults struggle with. This friendly workbook takes a non-judgmental approach to help kids take control of their anger before it leads to aggression or outbursts—skills that will serve them well into the future!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684037292
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	09/01/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	5 - 12 Years

About the Author

Christina Kress, MSW, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice near Minneapolis, MN. Kress has eighteen years of experience treating children and families using play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), along with ten years of experience treating adults and teens using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Kress presents annually at the Minnesota Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference; has been a guest lecturer at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul, MN; and provides clinical supervision to mental health practitioners through her practice.

Table of Contents

A Note to Parents vi

Section 1 Feelings and Thoughts

Activity 1 Identifying Feelings 2

Activity 2 What Causes Your Feelings? 6

Activity 3 Big Feelings, Little Feelings 8

Activity 4 Feelings Have Jobs 10

Activity 5 Types of Thoughts 15

Activity 6 Your Thoughts 18

Section 2 Focusing on Understanding Anger

Activity 7 What Causes Anger? 21

Activity 8 Anger Comes in Many Sizes 26

Activity 9 Your Anger Triggers 29

Activity 10 Catch It! 32

Activity 11 Check It! 34

Activity 12 Change It! 37

Activity 13 Anger in Your Body 42

Activity 14 Expressions of Anger 44

Activity 15 Anger Urges 46

Activity 16 Slow It Down 48

Activity 17 Anger Messages 50

Activity 18 Wait It Out! After the Anger Passes 52

Activity 19 Dear Anger 56

Section 3 Anger Can Hurt Others

Activity 20 When Anger Ruins Friendships 60

Activity 21 What Messages Are You Sending? 62

Activity 22 What Kind of Person Do You Want to Be? 65

Activity 23 Repairing Relationships Affected by Anger 69

Activity 24 Make a Deal 72

Section 4 Pushing Back Against Anger

Activity 25 What Tools Have You Tried? 76

Activity 26 Seeds 80

Activity 27 Building Strength 81

Activity 28 Refueling 86

Activity 29 Hit the Brake! 88

Activity 30 Big Deal or Little Deal? 90

Activity 31 Talk! Talk! Talk 95

Activity 32 Riding the Wave of Anger 97

Activity 33 Catch It! Check It! Reverse It! 99

Activity 34 When Anger Keeps Happening 101

Activity 35 Putting It All Together 106

Appendix A For Parents 109

Appendix B Anger Control Cheat Sheet 113

Appendix C How Big Is Your Feeling? An Interactive Game for Practicing Your Skills 115

Appendix D Activity Answers 129

Interviews

Kress resides in Minnetonka, MN.

Editorial Reviews

This informative workbook is a hands-on tool that empowers children to identify, control, and manage the source of their anger. The easy-to-read information and interactive activities in this book make it an ideal resource for parents and/or other adults to use to help the children in their lives. This is a must-read book for anyone with children who may be displaying signs of anger.”
—Kristin Mayer, master of arts in instruction and reading (WI 316), and 2nd grade teacher at Galesville Elementary School in Galesville, WI

Kristin Mayer

What a great workbook to help therapists and parents support kids who are coping with big feelings. This is even more crucial in this time as school is disrupted, and children and families are under unprecedented stress. Christina Kress normalizes anger and provides so many tools that you are sure to find some that work for your child. If you are looking for a road map to help kids understand and manage their feelings, this is it.”
—Susan Nightingale, LICSW, vice president of mental health services at SOME (So Others Might Eat) in Washington, DC

Susan Nightingale

The Anger Workbook for Kids provides kids (with the assistance of an adult) effective tools to manage the actions associated with poor anger management. Kids learn how to identify their feelings and triggers, and how anger can negatively affect their relationships with friends and family. The easy-to-use activities encourage kids to practice working through their feelings and controlling their actions. This workbook is useful for professionals and parents alike!”
—Stacy Wilson, LCSW, licensed clinical social worker and consultant providing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to teens and adults

Stacy Wilson

If you are looking for kid-friendly approaches to managing anger, this book is a must-have. The exercises work well as self-guided practice for children and adolescents, or as a complement to therapy interventions. I love how complex emotional concepts are broken down in ways that kids and their caregivers will easily understand. I will return to it frequently in my work with youth in foster care.”
—Amy Board, MSW, LCSW, director of community mental health at Little City Foundation

Amy Board

The Anger Workbook for Kids provides appropriate language for children to understand their experiences of anger, and ways to manage it differently. Parents, go through this workbook with your child, and you can explore your own emotional responses and learn some strategies along with your child.”
—Jayme Baden, MA, LMFT, community family therapist, and mother of three children

Jayme Baden

Christina’s expertise and proven track record helping children learn to identify and manage their emotions radiate throughout her new workbook. Her descriptions are thoughtful and concise. The variety of activities engages and appeals to all types of learners. This workbook is an easy-to-use tool for parents and clinicians to help the children in their lives learn to manage their emotions.”
—Amy Robinson, mental health professional, board-certified behavior analyst, and doctoral student in school psychology

Amy Robinson